BJP opens 18th Lok Sabha account as Mukesh Dalal is elected unopposed from Surat in Gujarat

Even before the state goes to polls, India got its first elected member to the 18th Lok Sabha from Surat as BJP's Mukesh Dalal got elected unopposed after BSP candidate and independents withdrew their nominations on Monday. This is the first instance of any Lok Sabha candidate being elected unopposed in Gujarat's electoral history.

Earlier, Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani and his substitute candidate Suresh Padsala's nomination forms were rejected by the district's election officer leaving Congress out of the electoral race in the diamond city.